Left in Silence
by InMyMaster'sCloset
Summary: She was oblivious... He gave up the fight... When second chance hasn't been given, consequences are hard to bear.


**Disclaimer: **No, I don't own Naruto... I am an honest person, I can't lie...

here's something I done long time ago... I almost forgot it somewhere in folder. But I decided to post it, beside this other story I am writing, because this is one-shot story...

...and I really like Ino and Shikamaru, and that is one bonus reason... xD

Off to the story then? pretty please?

Moon was shining brightly that night. Like it was on purpose, to show them a way. In spite of this situation that inevitably needed to be changed.

He stopped under one tree, hidden in shadows. From there, he could see her coming in trembly step. Her hands were clenched under her chin as she bit her lower lip. He could see her nervousness as she searched for him. His big hand took of a mask that he was wearing. With deep sigh he stepped out of his safe hideout and entered into troublesome area.

She watched him slowly moving, dragging his feet over pebbly road. Like was trying to make her change her mind. Like he was looking for a way out. Her heart, which was racing just a moment before, now was frozen. Her enthusiasm suddenly dropped when she met his glare.

Yes, that was him. Shikamaru, her best friend, her most precious person, the one whom she hurt most. But his eyes were empty like never before, with no interest at all. His face looked pale and tired, dark bag adorning his eyes, and she could see several cuts and bruises. Something stuck in her throat, stifling her, making her unable to even breathe, much less to say a word.

He dropped cigarette on the ground and stepped onto it harshly. He prayed that he will deceive her.

And yet, he couldn't not to wonder… Even though all this was more than troublesome. It made his heart break into hundred pieces.

"Hey… Shikamaru." She did it! She managed to say his name.

"Ino. Why have you called me here?"

It sounded like he was bothered with it. The hell with it all… She bit her lips again. Why was she so damn nervous? She never felt like this before in his presence… Well, it's not like she felt like this about him before.

She cursed herself for the hundredth time for being so oblivious.

It was Shikamaru! She knew him from childhood days for god's sake! He could never be angry with her, no matter how much he wanted it. But this time… Yes, this time it was different.

He stood there, before her, waiting for her reply. It snapped her from her thinking.

"I just wanted to see you. I didn't have much of opportunity for it."

"Really?" His words were somewhat sour, but again, he sounded interested.

"Well, yes… Since you joined ANBU… Why Shika?" She pierced him with such a desperate eyes. Her blue orbs were blurry. Oh, how he wanted to hug her, right there, right now. But he resisted the need.

"Why what? Why I joined them?" he smiled sourly and looked away.

"I guess I needed a distraction, things tended to become more troublesome."

He directed his gaze on her again. His glance seemed so penetrating. So why wasn't he able to see?

"So, why did you call me?"

"I needed to see you again." She sounded hurt. He hated himself.

"I see…"

"I have to tell you! That I made a mistake. And how much I regret for…" she shook her head. All this, it was so wrong! He didn't care anymore. He moved on. So why was she then heading back?

"I'm sorry… I'm telling nonsense."

"I… I know." He looked away.

"How are you Ino? Are you happy?" he continued with much softer tone.

"I a-am."

"Liar… I know when you're lying. Remember?" he smiled at her. That smile! That's what she waited to see, just one more time.

"I guess you always knew. That's what was best between us."

"Yeah… " He rubbed the back of his neck and sat down on cold stone. She placed herself next to him. It was like before, when he used to watch clouds and stars, she would join along, just because she was too bored to do something else. Those moments now seem indeed priceless.

"Don't avoid my look." He suddenly spoke.

"How can I not to…"

"It's not all your fault. I was too scared too."

"You mean..?" It surprised her when he nodded in response.

"We wasted so much time."

"I missed you Shika. Every time when you weren't around, every time when I didn't know how to approach you."

"We made a mistake."

"No, I made a mistake. I was the one who hurt you! Are you happy, Shika?"

"I'm better…" she sighted.

"I'm sorry. "

"I already told you, don't apologize, that was just a combination of unfortunate circumstances."

"Ah…genius boy!" she chuckled lightly.

"I wish I could turn back time."

"Ino…"

"No, think about it! We know some really powerful Genjutsus, we practice our ninjutsu, and yet… we can't do anything about time."

" If you could then you wouldn't be able to learn from your mistakes." Stunned, she looked him.

"Then, I wouldn't hurt you Shika." silent whisper.

"Have…. Have you met someone?" she gulped. Why had she asked it?

Because, if he says yes, she will break, right here, right now.

" I have… but it didn't last. She was nice, and I really liked her, but I just… couldn't love her. So I let her go."

They remained silent for a while, lost in their thoughts.

"A-and you?" he finally asked.

"No, no one. After I got over Sasuke, and realized that… I didn't want anybody else."

"I see…"

"Is that all you have to say? Geez Shika, you're still complicated as you used to be."

He started laughing, and she couldn't resist either. This time, this place, she wanted it to last for a bit more. Or forever, it wouldn't hurt either. Just to see him like this, and be near him again.

" Shikamaru…" she looked up at him and clenched her fists. Her heart raced, and she could feel her cheeks burning, like someone light a fire on her face.

"I have to say it. I need you to know. I… love You, Shika, I always did, and it's just that I didn't notice it on time. Until I lost you. Until I felt emptiness and pain. I keep feeling like I'm missing something, and I did! I missed you, missed you so much that I felt like I'm going to run out of breath. We separated because of me, and I couldn't not to question myself how could I hurt you like that. And it hurt me too!"

She spill it all out in one breath, and now her face turned all red, like a lobster's shell.

" I know that already Ino. I feel the same. " he said it so sadly, painfully, like every word was a dagger stabbing his heart.

" God is my witness, I wished so many times for a chance, one more chance from you, to let me show you that I could love you like he never could. That I could give you anything you wanted. You just had to ask for it!"She remained speechless. Should she be happy? Or curse her self again, just in case.

"I always watched over you, I saw when you were happy because he actually spoke with you, and I saw every tear on your face whenever he broke your heart. And I wanted to kill him. But I had no right to make myself involved, you forbid it to me."

" I'm s-s…"

" Hush … No more tears, okay? Smile for me."

She gave him one lousy smile, but it was something.

"Please, Ino… Be happy, will you?"

"So… so you…?" he just nodded.

"So is this goodbye again?" her eyes started burning. Ino felt tears in the corners of her eyes, but she wiped them quickly. He said nothing, just stood up and gave her a hand, helped her to get up.

"Let's… leave it like this. Shall we?" his voice trembled.

"Don't leave…"

"I have to, let's say goodbye here and now…" she wrapped her arms around him.

"I can't let you go…" he smiled at her.

"Let me help you, I'll be here for you just once more, okay?" he pulled her closer to him and leaned his head on her top.

"Don't look at me right now…" he whispered and let go of his tears. Ino felt cold drops on her cheeks.

"Remember, I love you, more than anything." He whispered in her ear.

She felt sudden hit in the back of her neck, her eyesight became blurry and head became so heavy. She took a deep breath, and looked at his face, for the last time before her eyes shut.

Shikamaru gently picked her up and took her back at her house. He placed her onto bed and tucked her into blanket. Then he quickly left, only thing he could do.

When she woke up, it was late noon. She arose and rubbed her eyes. All memories on last night ran through her mind when she put on her clothing and hurried out fastest she could. In a blink of an eye, well, maybe a little more, she was at Hokage's office. And she found out that he was gone, again. He left her, just like that. After everything she said. After everything he said. She couldn't decide should she be angry, more that disappointed and crashed.

Days were passing by so slowly. And she waited. This time she waited, and hoped. And waited. And hoped. And one day, something actually came up. News, that Konoha ninjas are finally coming back, after three months. Finally! She could barely wait! She hurried towards the entrance gate. Passing by, she gave a quick nod to Izumo and Kotetsu. They, in return, gave her one surprised look. She responded them with a huge smile.

But, next thing she saw was definitely not what she expected. Naruto, Kiba, Chouji and Neji, they were coming in the village so slowly, and they carried something. Something that big, that needed four men to carry, and that something was covered with black fabric. And he was nowhere to be found. The look on their faces was what scared her. They looked so broken, devastated. They avoided her eyes. That was when she fainted. In last moment, she was able to feel gentle hands that caught her.

When she woke up, one person was sitting next to her bed. He wasn't facing her. His blond hair was falling on his face, without his forehead protector to hold it, and tears were running down his face.

"Naruto?"

"Aah… I see you woke up, Ino." He quickly wiped his cheeks and gave her one weak smile.

" I have something to give you. I haven't opened it, I swear…"

He gave her one paper, with a seal on it. She assumed what it was. Shikamaru was, after all, a genius.

"I'll leave you now, I suppose you want to be alone. If you need me, I'll be in front."

She nodded and waited for him to step out and close the doors. Then, with shaky fingers, she took the letter. As soon as she touched it, when her chakra collided with the one in it, like the paper recognized its receiver, the seal broke. It let out an amount of chakra, creating a visual message.

Man with his dark hair tied in a pineapple-like tail showed up.

"Hey, Ino… if you're watching this, than it means my predictions were right. " he sighted and scratched top of his head.

"It's so troublesome… I suppose I owe you an apology, and an explanation too. It's now second month of our battle, and I hate to admit it, but we're seriously ambushed and cornered. Even rest of the ANBU needed to jump in. So… I'm not sure will I make it out… You see, for quite some time, I've been dreaming Asuma. And… three night's before our last meeting, he came to me again, and asked me to play a game of shogi with him. It was different than before, as if he was buying time. And, as or game came to its end, I saw that I lost, which never happened to me before. That's when he told me that he's waiting for me.

He was trying to warn me that my time has come. That's why, when I met you, I couldn't promise you anything. I shouldn't have told you a thing that night. I don't want you to be sad. Forgive me, for I failed to come back to you." He waved away, and quickly turned away, leaving. Chakra in his letter came to its minimum, when the message ended, and she was left with a paper in her hand.

First stunned, she couldn't make her body to move. Not a muscle. Her brain still processed information that she just received. Some would call it a state of shock.

And then she went hysterical. She was crying out loud, and her moans broke through empty room. She couldn't stop tears, and they turned into sorrowful screams. Not even his name could cross her lips. She felt someone grabbing her and holding her tightly in her arms.

"Stop it Ino…" Sakura's voice broke through her mind. She tried to break away from her embrace.

"You'll only make it worse for yourself." But it was nothing. She felt nothing. If she would die right now, it wouldn't matter at all. Her sobs became muttered. She fell on bed sheets covering her face, as though her palms could absorb everything that she saw, along with her tears, and make it go away. And then nothing of it would be real!

Her sight dropped onto a paper that she was clutching tightly. Like he knew he left her his last wish, one last line: "You promised that you'll be happy!"

* * *

so, if anyone actually read this, what do you think? I would like to know, indeed! :) I will appreciate any opinion...


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